Presentation

Educational aims

The 2nd cycle Degree Course in History of Art is structured in a way to provide students with advanced training in the specific field , with advanced competences in the various sectors of figurative arts, arts ranging, in chronological order, from the Late Antique to the Middle Ages, to Modern and Contemporary Age; within the geographical area from the Byzantine to the western world; form strictly historical disciplines to historical methodological ones. The course provides the ability to use appropriate tools for personal production, for publishing and for cataloguing historical and artistic heritage, as well as the methodological skills for proper literature search, study and interpretation of the primary or secondary sources. The course provides a wide range of specialist Art History subjects (Phenomenology of Contemporary Art, Comparative History of the Art of European countries, and Art History in Sicily and the Mediterranean, etc.) and an in-depth methodological and critical investigation for the study and analysis of the artistic phenomena and their transmission patterns (methodology for the study of Decorative Arts, Contemporary Art teaching methodology and communication, History of Art Criticism, History of Miniatures, etc.). These objectives are achieved through: - Frontal teaching and seminars and subsequent written and/or oral testing of acquired competences; - Field application of acquired competences and methodologies, through the synergy with the most important museums of Palermo ((Diocesan Museum, Regional Gallery "Palazzo Abatellis", etc.) which had declared their availability during the preliminary confrontation necessary for the development of the course; - Specific lessons and/or practical activities designed to provide the skills necessary to conduct bibliographical and documentary searches on traditional media or via the Internet; - The possible development of short written texts of personal bibliographical synthesis or analysis of the sources and their interpretation; - The preparation of a final written paper, representing the main occasion for original and personal processing of the acquired knowledge and methods. - The course also provides for optional disciplines to allow the students a partial autonomy in the characterization of their training. - The duration of the 2nd cycle Degree Course in Art History is two years. To achieve the 2nd cycle Degree, students must have acquired 120 credits

work perspectives

Profile: Art expert and historian Functions: Graduates in History of Art will be able to perform advisory functions for individuals, organizations, institutions, agencies institutions (not only for strictly cultural purposes) in relation to their own educational path and field studied. They will therefore be able to act, in public or private contexts as a reference for cultural policies and for the enhancement of the typical field of study. During the course they will acquire the following skills to spend in the professional field: - Mastery of the main historical-artistic areas for the correct placement of works of art in space and time. - Evaluation and contextualization of artistic phenomena. - Correct planning capacity for museum education. - Ability to plan and manage the internal and external communication (cultural and informational) of museum and cultural institutions in the historical-artistic area. Skills: Cultural mediator in the historical-artistic field in a dissemination, tourism and/or educational sense: ability to analyse and synthesize data and information in a critical and effective way for the purposes of scientific promotion and dissemination in the territory, with the support of updated bibliographic tools, using communication tools consistent with the target audience of potential users. Curator of private and/or museum collections: acquisition of skills as a connoisseur useful for the critical selection and cataloguing of artistic artefacts for consultancy aimed at the composition or growth of art collections, or for curatorial activity, for in depth study, enhancement and communication of the collections themselves. Creator and organizer of historical-artistic cultural events: Acquisition of skills in ideation, also economic management and promotion of artistic-cultural opportunities targeted to different types of public, through the mastery of artistic knowledge related to a wide range of historical periods and phases. Scientific referent in the field of antiques or forensics: Expertise in supporting buyers, merchants and operators as a consultant in transactions or assessments within the art market and in controversial judicial matters. Historical-artistic scholar: Experience in the reconstruction of the historical-stylistic path of artistic works and phenomena, with specific reference to attributive issues, to the definition of the context of occurrence and the specific cultural function. Art criticist: Competence in recognizing even contemporary artistic phenomena and in interpreting and contextualizing them to provide specialist advice and communication on mainstream media. Editorial consultant: Up-to-date expertise in the field of historical-artistic studies, combined with knowledge concerning the organization of scientific, informative and promotional publications. Expert in digital communication of Cultural Heritage In-depth knowledge of the History of Art, collecting and museology enriched by technical skills related to the digitization of Cultural Heritage for the realization of integrated communication solutions, oriented to the promotion and enhancement of Cultural Heritage. Professional opportunities: - Art experts - (2.5.3.4.2). - Curators and museum curators - (2.5.4.5.3), subject to the acquisition of any additional qualifications (as a 2nd level master's degree), according to the provisions of current legislation. - Private practice. - Public bodies employing professionals figure in possession of the specific 2nd cycle degree (Cultural Heritage Superintendence., etc.) - Private profit and non-profit cultural associations needing organizers of cultural events and/or cultural mediators. - Teaching of historical-artistic subjects in the schools (subject to the acquisition of all the indispensable requisites for access to the former class A/61 today A-54 (History of Art) and the subsequent competition for qualification according to the national law in force. - Researchers and graduated technicians in antiquity, philological-literary and historical-artistic sciences - (2.6.2.4.0) (in the case of Researchers, after acquiring the PhD as per ministerial regulations) - Category of tourist guides (subject to acquisition of the necessary qualification according to current legislation)

Characteristics of the final exam

It consists of the presentation and discussion of an original dissertation, written by the student under the guidance of a supervising professor, teaching the subject chosen by the students as principal reference. Computing and language skills will be also tested during the final examination. The way for choosing and preparing the dissertation as well as for the choice of the supervising professor are fixed by the Board of the Faculty and described in the course regulations. For being admitted to the discussion of the final dissertation, awarded with 24 credits, students must have acquired 96 credits. The way in which the final examination shall be conducted are fixed by the Board of the Faculty and described in the course regulations.